How to Install a Ziptrak Outdoor Blind
Take this guide onto the job
The full illustrated guide as a printable PDF — 45 pages, following Ziptrak’s own eight-step sequence, with Ziptrak’s component drawings alongside our own. Free, no email required.
1 · The one rule everything else serves
Answer first: install it square. Ziptrak states it at the top of every page of its manual — the keyway tube, the tracks and the bottom bar must be at 90° angles.
A track-guided blind is the only outdoor blind where the fabric is held on all four sides. A welded side spline runs down each vertical edge of the skin and travels inside an aluminium track. That is what makes it feel effortless and weather-tight — and it is what makes it unforgiving. On a wire-guide or straight drop blind the fabric is held at the top and the bottom and pulled tight in between; a few millimetres of error disappears into the slack. Here there is no slack. If the two tracks are not the same distance apart down their whole length, the spline binds.
The two halves of the side assembly
Almost every problem on this job comes from treating the track and the channel as one thing. They are not. The channel is the structural half: it is screwed to the building and carries the load. The track is the running half: it holds the spline, and it floats inside the channel until you commit it. Ziptrak allows 11 mm of adjustment on each side — 22 mm across the opening — and that adjustment is the entire reason a blind can be fitted to a real structure that is never quite square.
Throughout Ziptrak’s documentation, and throughout this guide, the front of the blind is always the roll side — the side the fabric roll protrudes towards. Left and right are given as seen from the front. On a rear-loading install this matters: the right-hand side viewed from the front is the left-hand side viewed from the rear.
Spring balance or motorised?
A spring-balanced blind is counterweighted by a SuperSpring inside the keyway tube and locked at any height by a centre lock release in the bottom bar. A motorised blind has a tubular motor in the tube and no centre lock. The difference changes several steps later in this guide — particularly how the top stops are fixed, and whether bottom stops are fitted at all — so settle it before you start.
2 · How do you measure for a Ziptrak blind?
Answer first: to the nearest millimetre, twice, and in whichever of the two methods your fabricator asks for. Ask before you measure, not after.
Ziptrak recognises two measuring methods and they are not interchangeable. Supplying one when the fabricator expects the other produces a blind that is wrong by the size of the deductions — which is tens of millimetres, not a couple.
Finished measurements
The figures you supply are the exact size of the finished blind. The fabricator calculates every hardware and skin cutting deduction from there.
Tight measurements
The figures you supply are the raw opening — post to post or brick to brick. Used where posts or brickwork taper. Expect to do some cutting on site.
The three widths and the two drops
Measure the horizontal width across the top, middle and bottom of the opening, and the overall height on both the left and the right. Supply all five figures to the fabricator even when they are identical — they are what the fabricator uses to work out the top width and the minimum width, and sending only one of them removes that ability.
An uneven floor does not produce a tapered blind. The fabricator builds to the minimum drop and you close the gap on the low side with a weather strip — which is why the floor survey in section 3 has to happen before you order, not on installation day.
Checking a blind against its opening
These are the relationships Ziptrak’s own troubleshooting uses to decide whether a delivered blind is the right size for the hole. All three are taken from the minimum width of the opening.
| Component | Should measure |
|---|---|
| Skin width including side spline | minimum width − 70 mm |
| Fabric width with no spline | minimum width − 90 mm (the spline adds 10 mm each side) |
| Bottom bar — Streamline or XHD | minimum width − 124 mm |
| Bottom bar — older Standard or HD | minimum width − 99 mm |
Measure the bottom bar without its black plastic end guides. If the skin is up to 3 mm wider than it should be you can usually take it up with track tension; more than that is a fabrication issue and a conversation with the fabricator, not something to force.
3 · Reading the site before you order
Answer first: mount as high as the structure allows, measure how far out of square the opening is, and decide how you will close the floor gap — all three change what you order.
Ziptrak’s advice is to mount the system as high as possible: it looks better and it closes the gap customers actually complain about. The rest of the site survey is about the three things that most often derail an install.
How far out of square is it?
The track and channel absorb width differences up to 22 mm. Beyond that the opening has to be packed out with timber or PVC before a blind goes anywhere near it. Height differences at the ceiling are handled with infill flashings.
What is the floor doing?
An outdoor floor almost never comes back level. Ziptrak has three weather strips for it, and the one you need is decided by the size of the gap you measured in section 2.
| Gap under the bottom bar | Use |
|---|---|
| Up to 10 mm | Standard weather strip |
| 10–25 mm | Large weather strip |
| 25–53 mm | XL weather strip |
Past that, a custom skirt or valance made by the fabricator is the answer rather than a bigger strip.
What are you fixing to?
Outdoor structures rarely offer a flat, plumb, square face on both sides. Two cases come up constantly.
Ornamental posts with no flat face
Do not try to pack a channel onto a shaped post. Fix a plain post — 25×38×1.6 mm or 50×50×1.6 mm — behind the ornamental one and mount the blind to that.
Round posts
Channels can go straight onto a round post with TEK screws. Fill the gap between post and channel with colour-matched silicone as you go, not afterwards.
If you are planning to use aluminium angles to square up a structure, a post narrower than 60 mm is not wide enough to carry an angle big enough for a reveal channel. You also need 15 mm of clearance behind the end plate or cast bracket so it does not collide with the post. Check both at survey, not on the day.
Not sure what to put on the order form? Fit type, head option, bottom rail, weatherstrip and the rest are all set when you order, not on site. Every Ziptrak option, explained walks through each one.
4 · Which installation type does this opening need?
Answer first: reveal fix if the blind fits inside the opening, face fix if it does not, cavity only for a spring blind under 3.5 m drop with cast brackets, and a removable post once the opening is wider than one blind can span.
Reveal fix
The blind sits inside the opening, using the top and side structure. Reveal Fix Channels. This is the configuration that gives you the full 11 mm of adjustment each side. The pelmet can face inwards or outwards.
Face fix
The blind mounts on the front of the structure — used when the cavity is too narrow, or something protrudes into it. Face Fix Channels are preferred for strength; L-angles with reveal channels are the alternative.
Ziptrak asks for at least 10 mm between the face fix channel and the inner edge of the building structure — and specifically calls out softer materials: timber, gyprock and concrete. Butting the channel hard against the reveal is the mistake this note exists to prevent.
Cavity installation
Recessing the head into a ceiling cavity hides the hardware and protects it. It is also the most constrained option in the system, and two limits are absolute.
Cavity installation applies to spring balanced blinds only, up to a 3500 mm drop, using cast end brackets. A pelmet will not go in a cavity. If the job needs a pelmet, it is not a cavity job.
| Keyway tube | Roll dia. retracted | Min cavity height | Recommended width | Min width | Min height to hide the bottom bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 mm | 110 | 150 | 200 (204) | 170 | 240 (244) |
| 86 mm | 120 | 150 | 200 (204) | 175 | 240 (244) |
| 93 mm | 124 | 150 | 200 (204) | 175 | 240 (244) |
When the opening is wider than one blind
The practical ceiling for a single track-guided blind is 6000 mm in sunscreen mesh and 5500 mm in PVC. Past that, Ziptrak’s answer is a removable post carrying two or more smaller blinds — which also gives you a doorway, and can be lifted out when the space is wanted as one opening. Removable posts work for both reveal and face fix.
On a balcony balustrade, or anywhere the bottom bar does not meet a surface, Track Bottom Caps go into the base of the tracks to give the bar something to stop against. They also stop the user pulling the blind past the bottom stop. They must be fitted before the tracks go up — see step 6.
5 · Step 1 — Establish levels, prepare tracks and channels
Answer first: find the levels from a mid-height reference on both sides, then cut the channels to suit and the tracks 5–20 mm longer than the channels.
Tools
Ziptrak Track Prep Tool · spirit or laser level · tape · pop rivet gun · marker · drop saw with an aluminium blade · metal file · drill · 4 mm, 6 mm and 9 or 10 mm bits · masonry bit · tek screw socket · Philips #2 · vice grips · hammer · touch-up paint.
If you are fitting face fix channels with a Streamline pelmet you will also need an angle grinder, because 42 × 23 mm cut-outs have to be made in the back of the top/back pelmet cover. Discovering that on site costs you the day.
Establish the levels
Mark a level reference point at about the middle height of the opening on one side — laser, or a string line and spirit level — and repeat on the other side.
Measure from that reference to the top on both sides. If the two differ, the cast bracket or pelmet end plate on the higher side is installed lower, so that the keyway tube itself finishes level.
Measure from the reference to the bottom on both sides. If the floor is not level, the channel and track cut lengths will be different left and right. That is expected — cut them to suit.
Cut the channels, then the tracks
Channels are cut to the lengths the levels gave you. Tracks are then cut longer than the channels — deliberately. The extra length is what guides the spline into position to roll onto the keyway tube, and it is a large part of how the finished skin looks.
| Drop | Track longer than channel by |
|---|---|
| Up to 2500 mm | approx. 20 mm (28 mm including the guide funnel) |
| Over 2500 mm | approx. 5 mm (13 mm including the guide funnel) |
Treat those as the starting point rather than the answer. Blind height, pelmet size, keyway tube diameter and fabric type all feed into it, and the thing you are protecting against is the spline rubbing the top of the track when the blind is fully retracted.
Preparing the track is not optional
The side spline runs inside the track for the life of the blind. A burr left at the top of the track will shred it. Ziptrak supplies two different tracks and they are prepared differently, so identify what your fabricator sent before you touch it.
Preparing a track before it is coated produces rough inner edges once the coating goes on, and those edges damage the skin. And on the 2021 track, do not file the inner edges (the grooves) before using the Track Prep Tool — filing first deforms and sharpens the ends, which is exactly what destroys side spline.
The 2021 track — with the Track Prep Tool
File and deburr the track walls to remove sharp edges. Leave the inner grooves alone at this stage.
Insert the Track Prep Tool parallel with the track and strike the end with a hammer two or three times, until the built-in stop prevents it going further. The inner edge is now shaped.
Tap a guide funnel into the track until flush and clear any plastic that has shaved off. Measure 10 mm down from the rear, drill a central 4 mm hole through the back of the track into the funnel, and pop a 4 × 10.5 mm rivet.
The 2018 track — filed by hand
File the top inner track walls to remove every burr and sharp edge.
Round the inner wall of the track over a length of 5–10 mm. That radius is what lets the spline enter without catching.
Tap the guide funnel in flush and remove any excess plastic.
6 · Step 2 — Assemble the pelmet
Answer first: a Streamline pelmet is two or three parts, it is assembled on the ground, and anything over 3000 mm wide needs supporting brackets inside the top cover.
Some fabricators supply three-part pelmets with the top and back cover already fixed to the end plates. Check what you have before you start dismantling anything.
Before the covers go together
- Plastic insert — a 135 mm front cover on a mesh blind may need one. The component selection tables say which sizes.
- Support brackets — required inside the top cover on any three-part pelmet over 3000 mm wide.
- Insect control brushes — optional, and they go in now because you cannot get at the cavity later.
| Blind width | 165 mm pelmet | 135 mm pelmet |
|---|---|---|
| Below 3.0 m | none | none |
| 3.0–4.5 m | 1 bracket | 1 bracket |
| 4.5–5.0 m | 2 brackets | 1 bracket |
| 5.0–6.0 m | 2 brackets | 2 brackets |
Mesh blinds take two lengths of brush, one in the top/back cover and one in the front. PVC blinds take one, in the top/back cover only. Remove the two locking threads first, and trim 30 mm at each end so the bristles cannot interfere with the tracks.
Putting it together
End plates fix to the top/back cover with three countersunk 6G × ¾″ stainless screws each. Do not leave a gap between the end plate and the edge of the pelmet — that gap becomes a light leak and a water path.
Where support brackets are needed, they drop into the slots in the top cover and rotate to lock. Pre-drill 4 mm from the front through the bracket and back cover, then pop a 4 mm coloured rivet from the rear.
Modifying for face fix channels
Mark a rectangle roughly 42 mm wide × 23 mm high at the back of the top/back cover, on both the left and right.
Cut it out with an angle grinder and a 1 mm friction disk, then deburr.
Apply wax along the cut edges to preserve the cover. A raw cut edge on a coated extrusion is where corrosion starts.
Three-part pelmets can be built rear loading, with special stainless brackets on the end plates facing backwards so the keyway can be inserted from behind. A traditional pelmet is front loading only, and its covers are fixed to the end plates with 4 mm aluminium rivets — two at the top and two at the back of each end plate.
7 · Step 3 — Mount the frame
Answer first: pre-drill the channels at 200 mm from the top and from the base, then spread the rest evenly at no more than 500 mm apart.
The pelmet and the two channels go up as one frame. On anything wide this is a two-person lift — not because of the weight but because the frame has to arrive square and stay square while the first fixings go in.
Mark and pre-drill the channels: 200 mm from the top and 200 mm from the base, with the remaining fixings spread evenly at a maximum of 500 mm apart.
Deburr every hole, on the pelmet and the channels. This is what lets the frame sit flush against the structure with no gaps — a burr holds the channel a millimetre off the wall and puts a twist in it.
Insert the channels into the legs of the pelmet end plates and lift the frame into place — into the cavity for a reveal fix, onto the face for a face fix.
Secure the pelmet end plates to the wall first, then measure channel to channel one last time to confirm the frame is square, and only then fix the channels to the structure.
Ziptrak’s drawing carries this instruction in capitals for a reason. The track runs inside the channel with millimetres to spare. A screw head that proud, or a fixing that is too long, will stop the blind dead — and you will not find out until the tracks are in and the blind is loaded.
Windy areas, or any blind over 4 m wide
This is a different fixing schedule, not a suggestion to add a few more screws. Ziptrak added it to the manual in June 2024 and publishes it as a drawing in its own right. It applies to windy areas or blinds over 4000 mm wide, and it governs the channel fixings into the outdoor structure.
| Position | Spacing |
|---|---|
| From the top of the channel | 200 mm |
| Top to midpoint | every 400 mm, at least |
| Either side of the midpoint — most important | 2 fixings, 50 mm from the midpoint, 100 mm apart |
| Midpoint to bottom | every 400 mm, at least |
| From the bottom of the channel | 200 mm |
Aluminium angles
Where reveal channels are being used for a face fix application, or the structure is not square, angles carry the channel. The size steps up with the blind.
| Blind width | Angle |
|---|---|
| Up to 4000 mm | 40 × 25 × 1.6 mm |
| 4001–6000 mm | 40 × 25 × 3.0 mm |
Cut a notch in the angle for the pelmet end plate or cast bracket so it sits flush, using a nibbler, tin snips or a grinder. Mount the angles, then clamp the reveal channels to them and join the two with monel 4 mm stainless rivets. Touch-up paint on the screws and rivets is the difference between a trade finish and an obvious one.
Cast end brackets — clearance for the roll
On larger blinds the rolled-up skin needs room above and behind the bracket. How much depends on the tube and the height of the opening.
| Keyway tube | Opening under 2800 mm | Opening 2801–3500 mm |
|---|---|---|
| 93 mm | 15 mm gap above the bracket | 15 mm above and behind, or trim the bracket return to 25 mm |
| 86 mm | no gap required | 15 mm gap above the bracket |
8 · Step 4 — Mount the keyway tube and skin
Answer first: identify the spring by the colour of its pawl, pre-tension it on the ground, and get the pawl facing downwards when the tube goes up.
Which spring have you got?
The spring type is identified by the colour of the plastic locking clip — the pawl — on the black crown at the end of the blind. The colours are not decorative and the strengths are not close to each other.
Pre-tension before it goes up, not after
Ziptrak’s own guidance: it is far easier to take tension out of a spring once the blind is mounted than to add it while you are working at height on a heavy blind. Wind it up on the ground.
On a single spring, tension from the left-hand side with vice grips, turning the metal tab clockwise. One full rotation is one turn. Use the fabricator’s SuperSprings turns table for the number. Lock it by aligning the pawl with the locking slot on the crown and pushing it home.
On a dual spring blind — green plus yellow, or grey plus yellow — both springs are tensioned in the same direction as each other when viewed from the front, which means opposite hand rotations:
- Green or grey, on the left — clockwise.
- Yellow helper, on the right — anti-clockwise.
- The same number of turns on both sides, regardless of the different spring strengths.
Getting the tube into the brackets
On a dual spring blind, insert the yellow helper into the right-hand end plate first, then unlock it by carefully rotating the keyway tube towards the rear before you insert the left-hand spring. Rotating the tube while the helper is still locked will break the pawl. These blinds are heavy — Ziptrak specifies two people.
For a front loading spring blind, slide the idler/pin end on the right into the U-cradle, then insert the spring end into the left end plate. With a 93 mm tube and a pelmet you may need to unroll part of the skin to get it in. For rear loading, the idler pin goes into the steel cradle plate and locks with a hitch clip.
On every spring configuration, finish with the locking clip facing down at the base of the blind, so it can be reached from underneath to adjust tension. Get this wrong and every future adjustment means taking the blind out.
Motorised: put a little Teflon grease on the shaft of the motorised idler pin, insert the motor end of the tube first and lock it with the clip supplied by the motor supplier, then drop the greased idler into the steel cradle and secure it with the hitch clip.
9 · Step 5 — Fit the bottom bar and test the spring
Answer first: slide the bar on, centre it, then test the spring by lowering the blind from the centre of the bar — and leave the fabric clamps off until the tracks are in.
Ziptrak repeats this in three separate places in the manual. Attach the fabric clamps after the tracks are in. With the clamps off, threading the side spline into the track is straightforward; with them on, it is a fight that damages spline.
Lower the skin to a workable height and re-lock the spring by pushing the pawl back into the locking slot. On a motorised blind, drive it down with the motor.
Insert the bottom spline at one end and slide the bottom bar onto the skin. On an XHD bar, wedge the two sides of the built-in fabric clamps open with a wide screwdriver first — they are flexible and designed to be opened.
Centre the bar so there is an equal amount of spline showing at each end — on a standard or heavy-duty bar that is usually 4–5 mm a side.
Check the skin sits centrally on the tube: around 5 mm of skin overhanging each end of the keyway tube, and the same gap between end plate and spline on both sides. Slide the skin sideways on the tube if it is out.
Testing the spring
Lower the blind from the centre of the bottom bar — never from one end — and watch what it does when you let go.
| What it does | What it means |
|---|---|
| Drops down and will not stay put | Add tension |
| Retracts or winds itself up | Reduce tension |
| Moves slightly — say 10 mm — then holds | Leave it alone. Friction between the spline and the track will take that up at the next stage. |
Adjusting tension
Lock the pawl. Confirm the metal tab moves within the cradle when you rotate the tube slightly — if it does not rotate, the spring is not locked, and going further will hurt you.
Raise the metal tab out of the cradle or steel bracket.
Rotate the keyway tube: fabric unrolling reduces tension, fabric rolling on adds it. Each full revolution of the tube is one turn of the spring.
Drop the tab back into the cradle, unlock, and run the blind up and down to test.
Follow the motor manufacturer’s instructions for rotation direction and limits. Ziptrak also asks you to ensure the motor environment is dry — which on an outdoor install often means forming a dripping loop in the cable so water runs off the bottom of the loop instead of tracking into the motor.
10 · Step 6 — Mount and secure the tracks
Answer first: scoop the tracks in at 45°, get the spline entering the funnel at 90°, prove the blind runs on a fingertip, and only then start riveting.
Track Bottom Caps must go into the base of the tracks before the tracks are mounted. Insert them, rivet from the rear with the supplied rivets, and pare off any excess plastic ridging with a Stanley knife.
Getting the tracks in
If the spline is feeding in at an angle on either side, stop. Remove the tracks, lower the skin, and move the skin sideways on the keyway tube until the spline tape feeds straight down into the funnels. Forcing an angled entry is the single most common cause of frayed spline on a new install.
Adjusting before you commit
Push the tracks gently upright in the channels. Both tracks must be at 90° to the keyway tube and the bottom bar. Check with a spirit level on both sides.
Pull the blind all the way down from the centre of the bottom bar. The tracks will settle within the channels to the width the blind wants.
Run it up and down, feeling for tight spots. Tracks can be moved up to 11 mm within the channel — but they must not put horizontal tension across the skin. Over-tensioned tracks damage spline and make the blind hard to operate, and fabric moves with the weather.
Set a 1 mm gap between the inner edge of the bottom bar end guide and the track. Wider than that and you lose both spline life and ease of operation. The track should float between the side spline tape and the edge of the end guide.
The rivet sequence
Riveting is not a single operation at the end — it is interleaved with testing, and the order matters.
Pre-drill 4 mm at the top and bottom positions on both sides and place all four rivets — but do not pop them yet.
Run the blind up and down and check both operation and skin appearance. When you are satisfied, pop the top rivets, then the bottom ones.
Pre-drill and place the intermediate rivets. At each horizontal level, check the blind still moves freely before popping the left and right rivet. Expect to go back and adjust earlier ones as you work down.
The finished target is light fingertip operation over the whole travel, with no tight spots.
| Application | Rivet |
|---|---|
| Blinds up to 4000 mm wide | 4 mm colour-matched aluminium |
| Wider blinds, high wind areas, or where more strength is wanted | 4 mm stainless steel — needs a powered rivet gun; finish with touch-up paint |
Leave a 1–2 mm gap between rivets and the edge of the bottom bar guide. A rivet that catches the guide is a fault that only shows up under load, and it is a miserable one to chase later.
Some fabric and spline memory from storage and transport is normal on a new blind. It usually settles once the blind has seen a few changes of temperature and weather — say so at handover rather than chasing it on the day.
Fabric clamps — now, and by hand
Ziptrak specifies a hand screwdriver for fabric clamps on every bottom bar type. An electric driver slips, and when it slips it goes through the skin. This is a thirty-second job that can cost a whole blind.
Standard and HD bars
Check the skin is central. Place the front and back clamp pieces over the vertical plastic riser on the bottom bar end guide, with the back piece on the side less visible to the customer. Fasten with 2 × #6 × ½″ pan head stainless screws.
Streamline and XHD bars
Insert the back screw cover into the built-in clamp. From the front, attach it to the skin with 2 × #6 × 3/8″ pan head stainless screws, then clip the front cover on to hide the screws.
Top stops
The top stop is what prevents the blind rolling out of the track at the top. How it is fixed depends entirely on whether the blind is manual or motorised, and the two are opposites.
| Spring balanced | Motorised | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Flush with the outside edge of the channel | About 10 mm in from the outside edge |
| Screws | Must NOT go through the tracks — the system needs flex at the top | Go through both channel and track — the motor needs the strength |
Place the stop under the end plate, level with the top edge of the channel; the ridge on its back sets it flush. Fix with the supplied self-drilling screws.
Ziptrak recommends motors with torque or resistance detection. With the top stops set flush to the inner edge of the track, the motor senses the bottom bar guide meeting the stops and sets the upper limit itself. The bar finishes level, and the blind can never retract past the stop and into the pelmet. Confirm you have been supplied that type of motor before you start.
Bottom stops — spring balanced only
Lower the blind from the centre of the bottom bar until it meets the ground.
Position the stop on the front of the channel leaving a 1 mm gap both between the bottom bar end guide and the stop, and where the locking tongue latches onto it. The tip of a tape measure is about 1 mm — use it as a feeler.
Mark and pre-drill the top fixing, secure it, then lower the blind and check the locking tongue actually latches before you fix the bottom screws. Clip the screw covers on last.
Not at the same distance off the ground — at the same height. The blind was made to the minimum drop; if you follow the floor with the stops, the bottom bar finishes crooked and every future operation fights it.
For a face fix install where the centre lock sits on the opposite side to the roll, a face fix bottom stop is used instead, because there is very little room between the channel and the angle. Leave the same 1 mm gap, mark 50 mm from the base and 16 mm in from the edge of the bottom bar guide, and drill 6 mm through to the other side of the channel.
11 · Steps 7 and 8 — Close the pelmet, lubricate, hand over
Answer first: close the pelmet, spray food-grade silicone into both tracks, and leave the customer a Ziptrak user guide. Every time.
Step 7 — Close the pelmet
On a front loading two or three-part pelmet: check the front cover has its brush if the blind is mesh with insect control (PVC has no front brush), lift the front cover into the top/back cover, align it to the end plates, then mark fixing points 10 mm in from each end plate, pre-drill 4 mm and pop coloured 4 mm rivets.
On a rear loading three-part pelmet under 3000 mm, the back cover goes on last: measure 30 mm up from the bottom of the end plate, pre-drill 4 mm through the cover into the inside flange, and rivet.
The support brackets are drilled through the back cover while the roll is sitting right behind it. Lower the blind first so the roll is at its smallest, and set the 4 mm drill bit to a maximum depth of 15 mm. The fixing point is 49 mm down from the top face on a 165 mm pelmet, 43 mm on a 135 mm pelmet. Drill blind and deep here and you go through the skin.
On a traditional pelmet, the front cover goes into the top groove of the back cover and is riveted at both ends with 4 mm rivets. Over 2500 mm wide, or in a windy location, add a carefully placed middle rivet as well.
Step 8 — Lubricate
Spray a liberal amount of food-grade silicone — Ziptrak specifies Helmar H4000 — into the left and right tracks, from either the front or the back of the blind.
This is Ziptrak’s own warning and it is unambiguous: oil-based sprays capture dust and environmental build-up and will damage the spline. The oily film turns into grinding paste. Only a non-oil-based, food-grade silicone belongs in these tracks. Tell the customer this at handover, because WD40 is exactly what a helpful owner reaches for.
Hand over properly
- Run the blind through its full travel with the customer watching, and let them operate it.
- Show them operating from the centre of the bottom bar, never from one end — one-sided operation is what makes a bottom bar go out of level over the years.
- Explain the wind rules in section 12 — particularly that halfway is the worst position.
- Leave a Ziptrak user guide. Ziptrak asks for this on every install and it is downloadable from their site if the box did not have one.
12 · Operating in wind
Answer first: fully down and locked, or fully retracted. Never halfway. In severe weather, retract it.
Ziptrak’s published guidance on wind is behavioural rather than numeric, and it is short enough to quote in full. From their troubleshooting manual: wind pushing against the blind pulls the spline against the tracks, which makes manual or motorised operation difficult. Gently place a hand against the fabric to reduce the pressure, then operate the blind. Motorised blinds must always be supervised. Do not leave blinds halfway down in windy conditions, and in very strong wind or severe weather the blind should be fully retracted.
What to tell the customer
Do
- Leave it fully down and locked in ordinary windy weather — that is its strongest state.
- Fully retract when severe weather is forecast or arriving.
- Expect it to move and make noise in wind. Fabric movement is normal.
- Press a flat hand against the fabric to relieve pressure if it will not run.
Don’t
- Leave it halfway. A part-lowered blind has a free bottom edge and is the most vulnerable position there is.
- Force a motorised blind that is bound up under wind load.
- Start a motorised blind and walk away — supervise it.
- Assume a 6 m blind is as strong as a 2 m one.
When wind pushes the fabric out, it presses the spline hard against the track and the blind can become impossible to operate until conditions ease. That is the system doing its job. The fix is to relieve the pressure with a flat hand, not to pull harder.
There is no Australian product standard that assigns a wind class to a track-guided outdoor blind, and track-guided blinds do not carry an EN 13561 wind class the way a folding arm awning does. Any wind speed you have seen quoted for this product is a manufacturer’s own laboratory result, not third-party certification, and it describes the blind rather than the structure it is bolted to. If a figure matters to your project, get it in writing from your supplier against the specific size and fixing method you are installing — and note that the windy-area fixing schedule in section 7 is a real, published requirement where a wind number is not.
13 · Fault finding
Answer first: almost every fault on a new install traces back to the system not being square, or the spline not entering the funnel straight.
| Symptom | Usual cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom bar not level on a new install | The spline is trying to keep the roll pattern it was hand-rolled into during fabrication | See the correction procedure below |
| Bottom bar gone out of level over time | The customer has been operating from one end instead of the centre | Correct the roll, then re-brief the customer |
| Bottom bar catching | Obstruction or dirt in the track, no lubricant, or a rivet fouling the bottom bar guide | Clean, lubricate, and check the 1–2 mm rivet clearance |
| Blind self-retracts | Too much spring pre-tension | Reduce tension — step 5 procedure |
| Blind will not retract | Not enough pre-tension, a broken spring, or the wrong spring for the size | Add tension; if it still drops, suspect the spring and call the fabricator |
| Spline fraying | Burrs at the top of the track, tracks pushed too far into the channels, or top stop screws fouling the spline | Re-check track preparation and track tension |
| A “smile” sag at half height | Normal on every track-guided system | Fully retract, then lower again — it goes |
| Blind left retracted for months looks creased | Fabric and spline have taken a set around the tube | Leave it down; warmth and sun let it relax |
Correcting a bottom bar that is not level
Check the keyway tube is mounted level, and that the spline is feeding into both guide funnels straight. If it is not, unroll the entire skin off the tube and move it sideways until it does.
Move the skin to one side by about 4 mm only.
Retract the blind so the bottom bar is at chest height. On the high side, apply downward force to the bar at an angle that slightly stretches the spline tape, and run the blind up and down about 500 mm. Repeat up to five times.
Retract and re-inspect. Both ends of the bar should touch the top stops.
Unroll the whole skin onto a clean surface and measure both diagonals — they should match. Then measure from the fabric to the outside edge of the spline on both sides — those should match too. If either does not, the skin is not square or the spline is not welded straight, and that is a fabrication conversation, not a site adjustment.
14 · Care and maintenance
Answer first: wash the tracks out, re-spray them with food-grade silicone, and never let anything oil-based near them.
| Task | Interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wash the skin and flush the tracks | Every 3–6 months | Salt, dust and grit accumulate in the track and wear the spline |
| Re-apply food-grade silicone to both tracks | Every 6 months, or after any wash | Operation gets heavier as the film wears off |
| Check rivet clearance to the bottom bar guide | Annually | 1–2 mm; a creeping rivet becomes a catch |
| Check the bottom bar is still level | Annually | Catches one-sided operation before it sets in |
| Check top and bottom stops are secure | Annually | They are what stop the blind leaving the track |
Spray WD40 or another oil-based lubricant into the tracks. It feels like it helps for a week, then the oil film collects dust and grit and grinds the spline away. Food-grade silicone only.
Warranty and your rights
Fitting a blind yourself does not remove the product warranty, and it does not remove your rights under the Australian Consumer Law — those cannot be contracted out of. What it does change is who carries responsibility for the installation itself. Damage caused by installation error, by the wrong lubricant, or by leaving a blind down in severe weather is commonly outside the scope of a fabric or hardware warranty; check the warranty supplied with your blind.
15 · Fire, compliance and multi-storey buildings
Answer first: the system has been fire tested and assessed against the National Construction Code, and on any real project the fire engineer’s report governs — not this guide.
This section matters if you are installing on an apartment balcony, a commercial building, or anywhere above ground level. NCC / BCA 2022 Clause C2D14 sets the criteria for external blinds: they are to be non-combustible unless they are at ground level or the level immediately above it. That clause is why the fire evidence for this system exists.
What has actually been tested
Ignis Labs assessed the Ziptrak external blind system incorporating Vistaweave 95 polyester mesh against NCC Performance Requirement C1P2 (fire spread) and Clause C2D14. Testing covered ISO 13785-1, AS 1530.2 and AS/NZS 1530.3.
| Index | Result | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Flammability index | 2 | — |
| Spread of flame index | 0 | 0–10 |
| Smoke developed index | 7 | 0–10 |
| Ignitability index | 16 | 0–20 |
| Heat evolved index | 3 | 0–10 |
The ISO 13785-1 burn was run in three stages — 10 minutes at 100 kW, 10 minutes at 300 kW and 5 minutes at 400 kW — which exceeds the requirements of that test method. The specimen simulated a blind installed about 100 mm behind a glass balustrade. The result was no ignition, no spread of flame beyond the specimen, no flaming debris and no debris.
Structurally the blind is predominantly metal — head track, side guides and bottom track — which is non-combustible; the side guides carry nylon runners.
The Ignis laboratory assessment records both halves of this and you should quote both. It states that the installation must not be a direct and continuous installation vertically over multiple storeys, and that a vertical clearance of at least 900 mm is required between installations on each storey — and then states that the ISO 13785-1 results demonstrate no spread of flame, thereby negating the necessity of the clearance requirement. Do not resolve that tension yourself on a live project. Give the report to the project’s fire engineer or certifier and let them determine what applies.
It is a report from a chartered professional engineer, offered as evidence of suitability under BCA Clause A5G3(1)(e). It is not a product certification, not an endorsement, and Ignis explicitly provides no warranty that a building authority will accept it. The report is valid until 29 April 2029. Its direct field of application covers similar constructions; non-minor variations require re-testing — though notably, increasing the size of the blind is an acceptable variation. If your project relies on this, obtain the current report from your supplier rather than quoting a guide.
16 · Approvals, electrical work and when to stop
Do I need council approval for outdoor blinds?
For blinds fitted to an existing pergola, verandah or alfresco on a house, usually not — they are a furnishing rather than a structure. Two situations change the answer: if the blinds are part of a new or enlarged roofed structure, that structure needs approval in its own right; and strata and community title schemes commonly require owners corporation approval for anything that changes the appearance of a building, entirely separately from council.
Does enclosing an alfresco with blinds create a room?
It can. Once an outdoor area is substantially enclosed on all sides it may be treated as an enclosed space for building code purposes, which can bring in requirements the open verandah never had. If you are enclosing three or four sides of a space that adjoins the house, ask the certifier before you order.
Electrical work
Plugging a motor into an existing weatherproof outlet is fine. Running new cable, installing an outlet, or wiring a motor into the fixed wiring is licensed electrical work in every Australian state and territory. There is no DIY exemption. New or altered outdoor circuits also require residual current protection under the wiring rules — your electrician’s job, not something to work around.
Stop and get a professional if
- The substrate is render over foam, aerated concrete, hollow brick, or something you cannot identify.
- The structure is cracked, spalling, drummy or rust-stained around the fixing points.
- The blind is over 4 m wide and the structure is timber you have doubts about — the windy-area fixing schedule exists because these loads are real.
- You are working at height above a hard driveway or a boundary, or over a public footpath.
- A spring is under tension and something has gone wrong. Stop and call the fabricator rather than improvising.
- Anything needs to be hardwired.
17 · Common questions
Can I install a Ziptrak blind myself?
A competent DIY installer with the right tools can, on a straightforward opening, with two people. The parts of this job that catch people out are track preparation, spring pre-tensioning and the rivet sequence — none are difficult, but all are unforgiving. If the blind is over 4 m wide, dual-sprung, or going onto a structure you are unsure of, use an installer.
How far apart should the fixings be?
Two different answers for two different fixings, and confusing them is the most common error. Channel to structure (screws): 200 mm from the top and from the base, then evenly spread at a maximum of 500 mm apart — or the windy-area schedule in section 7 for exposed sites and blinds over 4 m. Track to channel (rivets): first rivet 200 mm down from the top, lowest a minimum of 150 mm up from the base, 500 mm or closer in between.
Why is the top of the track left un-riveted?
So the top of the track can flex as the skin rolls off the keyway tube. Rivet it hard at the very top and you fight that movement every cycle. The 150 mm at the bottom is for a different reason — it keeps rivets clear of the bottom locking mechanism.
What lubricant should I use?
Food-grade silicone spray — Ziptrak specifies Helmar H4000. Never WD40 or anything oil-based: it captures dust and grit and destroys the spline.
How wide can a single blind be?
About 6000 mm in sunscreen mesh and 5500 mm in PVC. Wider openings are done with a removable post and two or more blinds. There is also a Ziptrak joiner system for 4–5 m blinds that have to be carried into a high-rise in a service lift and assembled on site.
Should the blind be left down or up in strong wind?
Fully down and locked in ordinary wind; fully retracted in severe weather. Never halfway.
Why does my blind look baggy?
If it is baggy at half height, that is normal on every track-guided blind — fully retract it and lower it again and the sag goes. Fully down and locked there should be no sag at all. If there is, check track tension and skin position before assuming a fabric fault.
What is the difference between mesh and clear PVC?
Mesh filters sun, glare and wind while keeping the view and the airflow. Clear PVC blocks wind and rain and makes the space genuinely usable in cold weather, but does not breathe and shows marks more readily. Mesh runs to a slightly wider maximum width and is easier to motorise. PVC also moves noticeably with temperature, which is why the larger weather strips are recommended on motorised PVC.
Is a cable-guided Ziptrak the same thing?
No — it is a separate system for spaces without posts, using 3.2 mm cables instead of tracks. It runs to a maximum of 5 m wide by 3.5 m high, uses the Streamline pelmet and bottom bar, and has different cutting deductions. Ziptrak also advises installing cable-guided blinds away from poles and posts to prevent rattling. Do not apply this guide to one.
About the figures in this guide. Dimensions, spacings, component names and the installation sequence are taken from Ziptrak’s published outdoor track-guided Job Planning, Installation and Troubleshooting manuals, from Ziptrak drawings ZDRW0159, ZDRW0161 and ZEBAD006, from the Authorised Components List ZDOC0031, and from the Ziptrak joiner system and cable-guided fact sheets. Fire information is from the Ignis Labs assessment IGNL-8291 and its accompanying report. Line diagrams drawn in green and terracotta are Awnly’s own, prepared from those specifications. The photographs and blue-line component drawings are Ziptrak® material, reproduced by Awnly as an authorised reseller.
On accuracy. Ziptrak revises its manuals — the fixing method for windy areas was added in June 2024, the bottom bar section updated in December 2025 and the bottom stop in October 2025. Where the manual supplied with your blind differs from this guide, follow the manual. Confirm current sizes, component selection and spring turns against your fabricator’s current tables before ordering.
Ziptrak® is a registered trademark of Ziptrak Pty Ltd. This guide is published by Awnly and is not a Ziptrak publication.
Reviewed August 2026.
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